N.Z. MEN IN DIEPPE RAID

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 2 September 1942, Page 5

N.Z. MEN IN DIEPPE RAID

SPITFIRES AND MOTOR LAUNCHES OUTLINE OF RAID GIVEN BY SAILOR London, Aug. 31. The New Zealand Spitfire Squadron carried out four sweeps during a recent attack on Dieppe and shot down two Huns and probably two more. Led by Squadron-Leader R. Grant, D.F.M., they were also accompanied lay Wing Commander P. G. Jameson, D.F.C. and bar. Thev took off on the first flight at 2 a.m., returning periodically for refuelling, re-ammunitioning and snatching hasty bites of food. Jameson shot down one Hun in flames, while Pilot Officer C. Chrystall, Foxton, got another. Flight Lieutenant R. Baker, Dunedin and Flying Officer Lindsay Black, Levin, got probables. During the fourth flight Grant, Baker and Sergeant H. Leckie, Petone, all had combats but without result.

Many members of the R.N.Z.V.R. also partook in the Dieppe raid, including Telegraphist R. N. Mitchell, Christchurch, and Petty Officer MotorMechanic D. Gillies, Oamaru, who were part of the crew of a motor launch. Mitchell said: “We arrived at Dieppe at 5 a.m., escorting a number of invasion barges and carrying French-Canadians. It was just before dawn when we got there.

“We accompanied the barges to the shore while a shore battery pumped shells at us They landed behind us until our destroyers silenced the battery. I got a good view of this, for I was working two hours on and two off and I was off this period, so stood on deck. As we closed inshore the Huns fired ack-ackers at us, but flying splinters did not injure anyone on our ship. We put a smoke screen round the barges when they were nearly ashore. We swore when our engines packed up temporarily, but they soon re-started.

“After landing the troops we stood out offshore until 3 p.m. watching the destroyers bombarding. We also saw several German aircraft shot down. Once three Hun bombers attempted to attack, but a destroyer shot the wing off one, directly hit another, while a Spitfire accounted for a third. Another time six Dorniers came from the clouds intending to fix us, but inside two minutes Spitfires shot down four and the remaining two jettisoned their bombs. We were among the last ships to leave. Our flotilla had an escort of at least 76 Spitfires over us for the whole of the return trip.”—P.A. Special Correspondent.